Typewriter



L. R. ROBERTS.

TYPEWRITER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22, 1917.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET I I. WIFE 1.

L. R. ROBERT.

TYPEWRITER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22, 1917.

1,388,203. nted Aug. 23, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- M ATTO/(NEYx UNITED STATES PATENT OIFFICE.

LYMAN R. ROBERTS, or RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSE TYPEWRITER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Application filed August 22, 1917. Serial No. 187,596.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN R. ROBERTS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at number and complexity of theparts and inthe size of the machine without sacrificing an features ofdurability and efficiency l vith this general object in view, the1nvention consists in the features, details of construction andcombinations of parts which will first be described in connection withthe accompanying drawings and then more particularly pointed out.

In thcdrawings- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a typewriterconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in end elevation, with parts broken awayand m section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation (enlarged) with partsbroken away and in section;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view, in front elevation, with partsin section;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view and v1e w in side elevation of one of theadjusting rings;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the car riage; and

Fig. 9 is a view thereof in end elevation.

Referring to the drawings, the frame 1 has mounted therein a platencarriage as here shown 22. This carriage is mounted for the usualprinting movement by means of grooved rails 23 between which and agrooved carriage guide 20, are a number of ball bearings 21. The platencarriage 1s also mounted in the frame for case-shift movement. To thisend, in the present embodiment the guide 20 is carried by bracket arms19 extending upwardly from a truck in the form. of a rigid plate 18.This plate 18 is secured to the tops of two spaced plungers 15 which aremounted to reciprocate in the frame 1. To facilitate this movement, theframe is provided with circular recesses 16 for the reception of ballbearings 17.

The plungers 15 are raised by lifting mechanism which is operated bycase-shift levers forming part of the key-board. This lifting mechanismin the exemplification, here illustrated comprises a liftable member inthe form of a cross rod 14 which connects the two plungers 15. Belowthis cross rod 14, and preferably separate therefrom, is a llfting arm13 wlnch is keyed to a rock shaft 2 journaled in the frame 1. This shaftis rocked to raise the lifting arm 13 against the cross riid 14 by meansof a rocker arm 3 which is also keyed to shaft 2, the shaft beingflattened to accommodate a key 4. This arm is located between twocase-shaft lovers 5 and 6 which are journaled on the shaft 2 but notkeyed thereto. The case shift lever 5 is provided with a lug 7 whichoverhangs arm 3 and displaces the same upon depression of the lever 5.The case shift lever 6 is provided with a lug 8 which bears a similarrelation to arm 3. With such a construction, it will be seen thatdepression of either case-shaft lever displaces arm 3v and rocks theshaft 2, thus causing lifting arm 13 to engage cross rod 14 and elevatethe carriage supporting plungers 15. It is noted further that the twocase shift levers operate independently of each other.

For holding levers 5 and 6, as well as arm 3, in position, the shaft 2carries at its outer end a collar 9, secured thereto by pin 10. Tonormally maintain the arm 3 in elevated position ready for operation, atorsion spring 12 is connected to a collar 11 on the shaft 2 and to theframe 1. i

It will be seen that actuation of lifting lever 13 will cause theplungers 15 to be elevated until some part of the lifted or liftinmechanisms engages some stop mem- 'ber. he invention includes means foradjusting the limit of case-shaft movement. This may be accomplished byinterposing a varying thickness of metal in the path of rod 14. As hereillustrated as an example, secured to the frame in the ath of rod 14 isa wedge-shaped ring 28. The ring is adjustably held in place by a screw30 passing through a slot 29.

For the extreme case-shift, depression of lever 6 causes the liftinglever to raise the plungers until rod 14 engages ring 28. Thus,

this ring acts as a stop or abutment and definitely fixes the throw andmovement of the carria e. Should a reater or less movement be esired,the ring is moved on its center to interpose a less or greater thicknessof metal in the path of the cross rod.

The invention includes means for varying the throw or movement of thecarriageto obtain a different case position. This may be accomplished,for example, by interposing a spacing or stop member between the crossrod 14: and the stop ring 28, and in structures embodying the inventionto the best advantage, this stop member is placed in operative positionby the operation of the case shift lever. Although capable of variousconstructions, as here illustrated, extending rearwardly from theintermediate case-shift lever 5 is a curved arm 31 carry ing a laterallyprojecting pin 32 riding in a slot 33 in a reciprocating plate 34. Thisplate is mounted for reciprocating movement by means of a slot 35 ridingon alined studs 36. Projecting rearwardly from plate 34 is a spacing orstop lug 37 positioned to be interposed between the lifting rod and thestop ring 28. When the intermediate case shift lever 5 is operated, thelifting action, througharm 3, is the same as before, but the limit ofthe. carriage movement is less because as lever 5 is operated, arm 31swings upwardly and. its pin 32, riding up the slot 33, moves plate 3 1rearwardly. This interposes the spacing or stop lug 37 between the crossrod and abutment 28 (see dotted lines of Fig. 3). Thus, .the liftingmovement is definitely limited for an intermediate case position of thecarriage. It will be seen that adjustment for this caseshift movement isalso made by means of the ring 28.

The invention includes a case shift control lever and in structuresembodying the invention to the best advantage, this control lever ispivoted to swing transversely of the case shift levers. Although capableof various constructions, in the present embodiment, keyed to a shaft 39j ournaled in'frame 1 is a control lever 38. Also keyed to the shaft isa bifurcated dog 40, the arms of which are of unequal length (see Fig.6). The dog 40 may be swung to one side or the other to be brought to alocking position above either case shift lever to hold. the samedepressed. The arms of dog 40 are of difi'ei ent lengths, because thecase shift levers have unequal depressions.

Case shift levers 5 and 6 are provided with finger pads 5 and. 6 and areheld in normal position by springs 41 and 42 connected to a lug 43 onthe frame.

I claim? 1. In a typewriter, a platen carriage, a plurality of caseshift levers, lifting mechanlsm for the carriage operable by either ofsaid case shift levers, an abutment engaged abutment upon operation ofsaid last named case shift lever.

2. In a typewriter, a platen carriage, a plurality of case shift levers,lifting mechanism for the carriage operable by either of said case shiftlevers, an abutment engaged by part of said lifting mechanism uponoperation of oneof said case shift levers, a slotted plate having aspacing lug associated therewith, a pin associated with the other caseshift lever to ride in said slot and move the plate to interpose thespacing lug between the lifting mechanism and said abutment uponoperation of said last named case shift lever, and means for guiding themovement of said plate;

3. In a typewriter, a platen carriage, a plurality of reciprocableplungersfor elevating the carriage for case shift movement, a cross rodconnecting said plungers, a plurality of case shift levers, meansoperable by either of said levers for lifting said rod,

an abutment engaged by said rod upon operation of one of said case shiftlevers, a slotted plate having a spacing lug associated therewith, and apin associated with the other case shift lever to ride in said slot andmove theplate to interpose the spacing lug between the cross rod and theabutment upon operation of said last named case shift lever.

4. In a typewriter, a platen carriage, a plurality of reciprocableplungers for elevating the carriage for case shift movement, a cross rodconnecting said plungers, a plurality of case shift levers, an armoperated by either of said levers, a rock shaft rockeda spacing lugassociated therewith, and a pin associated with the other case shiftlever to ride in said slot and move the plate to interposethe spacinglug between the cross rod and the abutment upon operation of said lastnamed case shift lever.

5. The combination with a frame, of a carriage, means for effecting acase shifting movement of the carriage, an adjusting plate having abroad bearing surface'ca-rried by the frame and rotatable with respectthereto to bring varying thicknesses of metal into position to controlthe case shifting move ment.

6. In a typewriter, a carriage, -'a rigid frame for mounting saidcarriage, a plunger reciprocable in said frame for imparting case-shiftmovements to said carriage, a

I wedge movable on said frame to provide an abutment of variablethickness between said frame and a part rigid with said plunger to limitthe extreme position of the carriage on a case-shift movement, and meansinterposable between said wedge and a part, rigid with said plunger forproviding a limit to another case-shifting movement.

7. In a typewriter, a carriage, a rigid frame for mounting saidcarriage, a plunger reciprocable in said frame for imparting case-shiftmovements to said carriage, a wedge movable on said frame to provide anabutment of variable thickness between said frame and a part rigid withsaid plunger to limit the extreme position of the carriage on acase-shift movement, and means interposable between said wedge and apart rigid with said plunger for providing a limit to anothercase-shifting movement, said caseshifting movements having the samestarting position for the carriage.

8. In a typewriter, a carriage, an oscillatory shaft through whichcase-shifting movements of different extent are transmitted to saidcarriage, an arm keyed to said shaft, and key levers provided with lugsor projections for engaging said arm on the same side of the shaft.

9. In a typewriter, a carriage, an oscillatory shaft through whichcase-shifting movements of different extent are transmitted to saidcarriage, an arm keyed to said shaft,

said carriage, an arm keyed to said shaft,

and key levers provided with lugs or projections for engaging said-armon the same side of the shaft, said levers being coaxial with saidshaft. i

11. In a typewriter, a platen carriage and ble by said key levers forlifting said cross rod different distances, an abutment associated withthe bearing members for engagement by the cross rod to limit the liftingmovement upon operation of one key lever, and a spacing memberinterposable between the cross rod and said abutment for limiting thelifting movement upon operation of the other key lever.

13. In a typewriter, a case shifting unit including a platen carriageand a liftable member, an oscillatory shaft through which case shiftingmovements of different extent are transmitted to the case shift unit, alifting arm on said shaft for engaging said liftable member, a rockerarm also on said shaft, and case shift key levers provided with lugs orprojections for engaging said rocker arm on the same side of the shaft.

14. In a typewriter, a frame, a platen carriage and a type bar segment,means for offecting a case shifting movement of one of said elements,and an adjuster plate carried by the frame and havin a broad bearingsurface and rotatable with respect to the frame to bring varyingthicknesses of metal into position to control the case shiftingmovement.

15. Ina typewriter, a frame, a case shifting unit including a platencarriage, a support therefor, a plurality of plungers reciprocating inthe frame, and across rod connecting the plungers, a plurality of caseshift levers having lugs thereon, a rockerarm for engagement by saidlugs, a rock shaft on which-said rocker arm is mounted,

a lifting arm' on the rock shaft for engaging said cross rod to lift thecase shift unit, an abutment associated with the frame for engagement bythe cross rod upon operation of one case shift lever, a slotted platehaving a spacing lug associated therewith, and a pin associated with thesecond case shift lever for riding in said slot to interpose the spacinglug between the abutment and the cross rod upon operation of the secondcase shift lever.

LYMAN R. ROBERTS.

